With the format of the competition all the schools are on the same playing field. My aim is to have my maximum of 40 schools at any one Challenge. Each school is asked to enter two teams (two in a team) and they will be asked to partake in the following disciplines:

Section One: Find the Values

On the work sheet the young mathematicians will be given a set of letters and numbers and working through the ‘equations’ they have to allocate the letters values.

When the solution has been recorded a member of the team walks to the marker at the front of the column.

If the solution is correct the team will be awarded FIVE points.

Find the Values will last about 15 minutes.

Section Two: Counting Down!

Each team will be provided with a Counting Down! sheet which will have the questions and space for the answers.

Rough paper will be provided for working.

Calculators are not permitted.

When told to start the team try to make the total indicated using the six values provided and using only the four operations. Values can only be used once. Not all the values need to be used.

The solution must be written in full on the question paper.

When the solution has been recorded a member of the team walks to the marker at the front of the column.

If the solution is correct the team will be awarded FIVE points.

Counting Down! will last about 30 minutes.

Section Three: The Big Event

The teams will be given rough paper for working purposes.

The teams will receive an Answer Template for them to record their solutions.

Calculators may not be used.

The teams will be given the first question on a card.

When told to start the team try to solve the question and must write their answer on the Answer Template. No rough work should be on this sheet.

A runner from the team takes the Answer Template with the written answer on it to the Marker who is only allowed to tell them if it is completely correct or is wrong. If only a part is incorrect then the marker will still say it is wrong.

If the answer is correct then the team will be given the next question by the Marker.

If it is wrong the team can have another attempt at solving the problem or, if they have been unsuccessful a number of times, they can return the question and ask for the next one.